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[Source_Name: Short_Name='R/V NBP']

Sea Ice Mass Balance in the Antarctic - Ice Geophysics

Entry ID:
SIMBA_Ice_Geophysics

Summary

Abstract:
The data set is comprised of spatial surveys of snow and ice physical properties conducted at the one floe occupied for twenty-seven days in the Bellingshausen Sea, Ice Station Belgica. The survey patterns yielded a two-dimensional representation of snow and ice morphology using main and subsidiary survey lines. The surveys consist of horizontal transects where snow depth, ice thickness, ice ... freeboard, and the areal extent and thickness of the flooded layer was measured. The presence of ice layers or slush in the snow cover was noted, along with ice thickness distributions for each survey site. Line measurements were repeated three to four times during the thirty day period to determine progressive changes in snow and ice properties over time. A detailed snow and ice characterization was performed at selected locations along the survey lines as well as the installation of temporary ice thickness gauges, and an electrical resistivity array on the floe. These profiled flooding events and daily ice thickness changes over the drift station period. Snow depth, density, free water content, and stratigraphy, were measured periodically. The amounts and location of frazil and congelation from ice cores was determined from thin sections photographed in both transmitted natural light and between crossed polarizers. Also, oxygen isotope analysis (18O) samples were obtained to aid in differentiating between snow-ice and frazil. On short-term stations of a few hours, a smaller precise survey pattern was measured, varying with size and shape of the individual floe and ice access from the vessel.

Purpose:
The data was used to develop a geophysical assessment of the ice cover and also, drifting and precipitating snow measurements, and Antarctic sea ice concentrations for Year 2007 were taken, contained among other documents. Ice cores that were taken at the beginning and end of the station at each intensive site was used to determine vertical profiles of ice temperature, salinity, brine volume, density, and crystallography integrated over the period of the drift and provided rare time series data and changes with properties over time at the main station.